


I'd Fight for You

by orphan_account



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, BAMF Obi-Wan Kenobi, Concussions, Gen, Human Disaster Anakin Skywalker, Hurt Anakin Skywalker, Hurt Obi-Wan Kenobi, Hurt/Comfort, Jedi, Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mace Windu is a jerk in this, Master & Padawan Relationship(s), Mentioned Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi Needs a Hug, Padawan Anakin Skywalker, Post-Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, Protective Obi-Wan Kenobi, Whump, Young Anakin Skywalker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-29
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:26:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26177944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: When Anakin sneaks out of the temple and is almost kidnapped, Obi-Wan's guardianship of his new Padawan is threatened by the Jedi Council who thinks he might not be ready for a Padawan of his own.This is a companion piece/prequel to my other fic, On Happy (and Unhappy) Accidents, but you don't need to read one to understand the other.
Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker
Comments: 24
Kudos: 199





	1. Lost

A loud clap of thunder awoke Obi-Wan from his slumber. His dark room briefly illuminated with every flash of lightning. The chrono on the wall told him it was almost 3 a.m. He vaguely remembered that there hadn’t been any rain on the forecast at all and he quietly resented the Couruscanti meteorologists for their lack of foresight. Obi-Wan flipped over and tried to fall back to sleep, but every thunderstrike took him further and further from his goal. He let out a long-suffering sigh and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He trudged to the kitchen to make himself some tea but paused as he passed Anakin’s room. 

Normally, he would be able to sense Anakin’s volatile presence from anywhere in the small apartment they shared. It just now occurred to him that his presence was far away and certainly not in his bedroom. That didn’t stop Obi-Wan from throwing open his padawan’s bedroom door and calling his name. 

Now fully awake, Obi-Wan ran a quick sweep through their apartment, already knowing full well that the young boy he had just taken on as his Padawan was not there. He could tell he wasn’t even in the temple anymore. As another boom of thunder shook the walls of their small apartment, panic crept into his bones.  _ Where is he?  _

Though they had only been a Master and Padawan team for about three months now, the bond Obi-Wan and Anakin shared was already stronger than what most Masters and Padawans have in their first year. Obi-Wan took full advantage of this fact and reached out towards Anakin. He could sense that he was alive and on Coruscant, but Anakin was shielding from him meaning he wouldn’t be able to communicate with him. Relief coursed through his veins nonetheless.

Obi-Wan threw on his warmest robe and hooked his lightsaber to his belt. He then began the trek out into the cold, rainy Coruscant night. 

* * *

_ A few hours earlier. _

Anakin tossed and turned in his bed. 

He was excited to be a Jedi. He really was. He loved learning how to use the Force and he loved learning new fighting stances with the practice sabers in the training dojo. He, for the most part, got along with Obi-Wan really well even though it had been a little awkward at first. He could tell that Obi-Wan was still grieving Qui-Gon, but he put on a brave face for him. Even at his young age, Anakin knew he would never be able to express to Obi-Wan how grateful he was for that. 

Anakin loved training to be a Jedi,  _ but _ Anakin was starting to feel a little smothered. There were just so many  _ rules.  _

Anakin was also having a hard time  _ blending in. _ It was hard to blend in when the rumors of being the Chosen One followed him everywhere he went. On top of that, his acceptance as a Padawan was unusual at best. He was an outsider, not raised in the temple like all of the other Jedi who had been there since they were toddlers or babies. Obi-Wan couldn’t even remember a life before the temple. He had no idea who his real parents were, and from what Anakin could tell, he didn’t seem to care. This was something Anakin just couldn’t understand. Leaving his mother on Tatooine hurt worse than anything he had ever gone through, but he didn’t want to live in a world where he had never known her. 

To make Anakin’s ‘blending in’ efforts even more complicated, his Master was also ensnared by rumor. Whispers of “ _ the Sith Killer”  _ and _ “that was Qui-Gon Jinn’s Padawan”  _ floated through every last hallway in the temple. The rumors and hushed whispers surrounding him and his Master were making Anakin feel claustrophobic.

Never being one to sit still for too long, Anakin waited until Obi-Wan was asleep in his room before he snuck out into the Coruscant night. The air was a little cool but his desire to feel a little bit of freedom outweighed his desire to return to the warmth of the temple. Besides, he’d been on this planet for three months now and he had barely seen any of it. Tonight, he was going to change that. He began wandering, staring in awe at the hundreds of speeders and the twinkling lights of the inner-city. For a long time, he walked aimlessly with no real goal in mind. He observed all the different people and aliens living their own different lives. He drank in the sights, the sounds and the smells of the city, for once feeling untethered. 

But then, thunder cracked above him and he grimaced as fat raindrops started to pelt his head. A chill crept up his spine and he lamented the cool climate he had ended up in. There was so much going on in the city, his feelings of wonder were starting to morph into something that felt a little more like being overwhelmed. The bustling city and the cracking thunder was causing a small piece of him to lose his nerve. Maybe it  _ hadn’t  _ been such a good idea to sneak out from the temple. Deciding he was a little too exposed on this main level, he made his way down to get protection from the rain. He looked around wildly, not really sure where he was. 

The fear of being lost in the city was starting to outweigh his fear of getting in trouble with Obi-Wan. Just as he was about to open up his shields and call out to his Master, he heard a faint melodic noise in the distance. He focused in on it, trekking down a few more levels. He followed it until he came across an older woman playing a stringed instrument. 

This level was less crowded, all but abandoned if not for him and the older musician. He cautiously made his way towards the woman. The music she played was beautiful, but Anakin felt as though the music was  _ sad.  _ The stringed instrument sounded like it was weeping, and though it sounded like nothing that was played on Tatooine, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of homesickness. 

He got a little closer to the woman and realized she had a small jar for tips. Anakin felt around in his pockets, but he knew he had no credits on him. 

As she finished her song, she opened her eyes and looked at Anakin’s melancholy expression.

“What’s wrong child?”

“Your music is very beautiful, but I have no money, I’m sorry.”

She smiled at him and the warmth of it reminded him of his mother. 

“You don’t have to worry about that child. You’re still a youngling from the looks of it.” She looked at him closely. “Speaking of, where are your parents?”

“I… I don’t…”

Anakin wasn’t sure if it was the stress of being lost, the build-up of frustration he had felt over the weeks of being an outsider at the temple, or the fact that he didn’t have a real answer to her question, but tears immediately welled up in his eyes. 

As he choked back a sob, the woman’s eyes softened. “Come here youngling. It’s alright. What’s your name?”

Anakin moved towards her outstretched arms and let her hug him the way his mother used to when he was upset like this. He softly uttered out, “Anakin.”

“Are you lost, Anakin?”

Anakin nodded.

From his initial response to the parent question, she figured she needed to make an adjustment. “Do you have someone who looks after you?” 

“Uh-huh,” Anakin got out between sobs. “My Master. His name is Obi-Wan Kenobi. I live at the Jedi temple but I’ve only been here a few months.”

“I get the feeling you snuck out then, huh little Jedi?” the woman asked, but it wasn’t accusatorial at all.

“Yeah,” Anakin said, this time with a guilty half-smile. 

“Well, lucky for you, I know exactly where that is. Why don’t we wait a little for the weather to stop, and then I can take you home. How does that sound?” 

  
Anakin nodded enthusiastically. 

“Are you going to play more music?”

“I most certainly will!” She picked up her bow and began playing. The pair sat there for a while, the woman playing her music and Anakin hanging on every note, but then, Anakin felt a flare in the Force.

* * *

Obi-Wan ran along the main level of Coruscant. The freezing rain had long since drenched his robes and had sunk into his skin. He was shivering, but he ignored it. He needed to find Anakin. He searched for his Padawan through their bond, but Anakin was shielding from him. All Obi-Wan knew was that he was getting a little bit closer. 

He kept running. 

Obi-Wan suddenly halted. He had gone too far. He reached out with his senses and walked back in the direction he had come from a few paces. 

_ He’s below me. _

Obi-Wan raced to find a lift and put in a rough estimate as to what level he was on. When the lift doors opened, he raced out onto the pedestrian walkway. He felt a flare in the Force and he allowed just a small amount of panic to seep into his mind as he continued his search for his lost Padawan. 


	2. Special

Anakin sat up at full alert. 

Four massive Trandoshans were approaching. 

“Hey, look at that,” one of the Trandoshans said, “Free credits, just lying around for anyone to take.”

The Trandoshan swiped the small jar of credits the woman had been collecting.

“Hey!” Anakin shouted, instantly on his feet. “Those aren’t yours!”

“Leave it, child, it’s okay,” the woman said quietly.

“No, it’s not!” he said indignantly. 

He focused on the small jar and used the Force to rip it from the Trandoshan’s hand and call it to himself. 

“Oh, we’ve got ourselves a little Jedi,” another Trandoshan said predatorily. “You’re worth way more than what’s in that jar.”

“The boss will love this,” another one said. 

The woman grabbed Anakin’s arm and started pulling him towards her, but a Trandoshan backhanded her across the face and she fell backward.

Anger stirred deep in Anakin’s core. Anakin was unarmed and completely untrained in the use of the Force, but he charged at the Trandoshans nonetheless. This was a mistake as the Trandoshan he had slammed his body against picked him up as though he were nothing and threw him to the ground. Dazed, he looked back up as the circle of Trandoshans enclosed around him. As two of them grabbed him, he tried to wriggle free. 

They were too strong. 

They held him down as the other two pulled out zip ties and bound his hands behind his back and as they bound his ankles together, he screamed in protest. He could vaguely hear the musician calling his name and yelling at the Trandoshans to stop. They didn’t stop. He saw one pull out a syringe and he tried once again to wriggle away, but it was no use. The Trandoshan plunged the needle into his neck and all Anakin knew was darkness. 

* * *

He was close, he could _feel it._ He stood at the edge of the street, pressing himself to the railing and looking every which way for his lost Padawan. He looked down.

“There you are,” Obi-Wan said under his breath.

Anakin was surrounded by four massive Trandoshans one level down and across the sky lane. He appeared to be bound and Obi-Wan could see a Trandoshan approaching Anakin with a large and threatening syringe. 

Obi-Wan pushed down his rage at the sight of his Padawan being roughed up by a group of beings four times his size. Instead, he skillfully climbed to the top of the railing and balanced his weight. He analyzed the speed of all the citibikes and speeders passing him by and leapt to Anakin’s position. He landed in a crouch, lightsaber ablaze. 

“Hello gentlemen,” Obi-Wan said cooly. “I believe there has been a misunderstanding. You see, that is my Padawan you have bound and drugged. Now you wouldn’t want to bind and drug a Padawan of the Jedi temple now would you?”

“Actually pretty boy, that’s exactly what we would like to do. In fact, I bet the boss will be thrilled when we bring in _two_ Jedi instead of just the one.”

“Alright then,” Obi-Wan said as he charged at the Trandoshans before him, albeit with a little more grace and poise than Anakin had had only a few moments prior.

The Trandoshans all unfurled electrostaffs. Obi-Wan expertly parried and blocked their attacks, but they had the advantage of numbers and brute strength. A Trandoshan managed to knock Obi-Wan’s lightsaber out of his hand and kicked him in the chest. The force of the kick knocked him back a few steps and his head slammed against the wall. He heard the sickening crack of his ribs as he gasped painfully for breath. He vaguely saw one of his attackers coming at him with another syringe and he quickly tried to center himself.

“Hey, Jedi!” He dazedly looked to the side where a woman was calling out to him. “Catch!” 

Obi-Wan grabbed his lightsaber out of thin air and activated it. With strengthened resolve, Obi-Wan charged back towards the Trandoshans. He cut off the arm of the Trandoshaan with the syringe and then he systematically took out each Trandoshan until he reached the final one. He ripped the electrostaff from his hands with the Force and pointed the tips of both his lightsaber and the electrostaff at the Trandoshan’s neck.

“Surrender,” Obi-Wan said calmly. 

The Trandoshan glanced at his fallen brothers and then back up at Kenobi. He took off running in the other direction. Obi-Wan considered giving chase and arresting him, but his concern for his Padawan outweighed his current desire for justice. 

After the Trandoshan was no longer in his line of sight, Obi-Wan let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. He winced, having momentarily forgotten about his broken ribs. He threw the electrostaff to the side before staggering a few paces towards Anakin, who was still lying unconscious on his stomach, bound by zip ties.

Obi-Wan gingerly cut the zip ties off of Anakin’s wrist and ankles with his lightsaber. He rolled Anakin onto his back and assessed his body for any major injuries. 

“I take it you’re Obi-Wan Kenobi?” the woman asked.

“I am,” Obi-Wan said.

“You look like you’re just a youngling yourself.”

Obi-Wan’s cheeks flushed. “I’m old enough.” 

He coughed and saw dark spots in his vision for a few moments. He wrapped his arm protectively around his chest and willed the sharp pain to pass. He took a few shallow breaths and shuddered. 

“You’re hurt,” the woman said, concern coloring her tone.

“It’s nothing.”

“Can you heal yourself with one of those fancy Jedi tricks of yours.”

Obi-Wan resisted the urge to roll his eyes. “Some can.”

“But you can’t?”

“Not very well. Not yet.”

“Then it’s not 'nothing.'”

Obi-Wan ignored her. He continued administering to his Padawan. He looked around until his eyes landed on the severed arm holding the syringe that had been meant for him. He grabbed it and wrapped it in a torn-off piece of his robe. He figured he didn’t need to accidentally inject himself with the unknown substance on top of everything else. 

Obi-Wan stuffed the carefully wrapped syringe in his robe pocket and then scooped Anakin into his arms. The woman broke the silence between the three of them. “You should probably get back to that temple of yours." 

For once, Obi-Wan agreed with her. 

  
“That boy is special. Take good care of him,” she added.

“He is,” he said quietly. “And I will.” 

“Obi-Wan?”

“Yes?”

“Take care of yourself too.”

Obi-Wan nodded and adjusted his grip on Anakin, panting shallowly. He began the trek back towards the temple. 


	3. Reckoning

By the time Obi-Wan crossed the temple’s threshold, the sun had risen and the rain had come to a stop. His whole body shivered nonetheless. He had been thoroughly soaked by the freezing rain, and his head and chest were killing him. He ignored it. His Padawan needed help and he wasn’t going to stop or slow down until he got it. 

As he burst through the doors of the halls of healing, a startled Padawan healer jumped to her feet. 

“Knight Kenobi!”

“Where is Master Che?” he said, cutting her off.

“I’m right here,” the Twi-lek healer said as she came from around a corner. “What’s wrong, Obi-Wan?”

“He was drugged, I don’t know what with though,” he said, a frantic edge in his voice.

“What? How?”

“He snuck out in the middle of the night, I don’t know why or how he managed that but he did. I found him in the lower levels, some Trandoshans had him surrounded and they drugged him. Here,” he said, handing her the extra syringe. “They tried to inject me with it too, but I was able to fend them off.”

Vokara Che took the syringe as her eyes darkened. “Trandoshans you say?”

Obi-Wan nodded, but his eyes never left Anakin. 

“They’ve gotten cocky, coming to Coruscant of all places.” 

“What are you talking about?”

“There are rumors,” Vokara said ominously.

“Rumors of what?”

“Rumors that when Padawans go missing, it’s because they are taken by Trandoshans and then hunted for sport.”

Obi-Wan’s knees buckled. Vokara reached out and steadied him.

“Are you alright, Kenobi?”

“Hunted for sport?” Obi-Wan said incredulously, ignoring her question.

“They are just rumors. We haven’t been able to prove it because we don’t know where they take the Padawans,” Vokara’s eyes got sadder. “We just know that the Padawans that go missing are never seen again.”

Obi-Wan paled. Apparently the thought of losing his Padawan in such a way had a bigger impact on him than Vokara initially thought. 

“Obi-Wan, are you sure you’re okay? You’re shivering.”

“It’s cold outside.”

She noted his soaking wet robes. “Fine, go dry off while I take a look at your Padawan.”

“I’m not leaving, Vokara.”

“And neither is your Padawan. He’s most likely fine. If they were Trandoshans, as you say they were, they most likely just wanted to sedate him until they could get him where they wanted him. I’ll have to run some tests on the substance to be sure, but I have a feeling that’s all this is.” 

Another chill ran through Obi-Wan’s body. “Fine,” he relented. “But comm me if that’s not all it is.” 

“Of course, Obi-Wan.”

Obi-Wan knelt down to get to Anakin’s level. He lovingly ran a hand through the boy’s Padawan haircut. “I’ll be back, Ani.”

Obi-Wan turned to leave.

“Obi-Wan, I’m going to report this to the council, they need to know Trandoshans attempted to steal your Padawan. I imagine you’ll be called in to tell them what you saw.”

Obi-Wan nodded in agreement. “Of course.”

* * *

As Obi-Wan made his way towards the quarters he had not long ago shared with Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan felt exhaustion clouding his mind. He paused and leaned against the wall, trying to catch his breath and clear his pounding head. 

_ Focus Kenobi. _

He somehow made it the rest of the way to his quarters and used the Force to open the front door. At the moment, he didn’t care that it was a frivolous use of the Force. Besides, his young, impressionable Padawan was not there to pick up his bad habits. 

At that thought, a pang of anxiety ran through his body. It had only been three months, but Obi-Wan had become quite attached to his young Padawan in a way that was not very Jedi-like. It had been difficult at first, so soon after losing Qui-Gon, but Obi-Wan quickly put together that Anakin was really all he had left of his former Master. Beyond that, Obi-Wan had become fond of him for other reasons. Sure he was a handful, and caring for the boy left him exhausted at the end of every day, but his passion, wonder and excitement were palpable. He was intelligent, far more intelligent than the other Padawans his age, despite not knowing how to read basic. But Obi-Wan worked with him daily on this and he was picking it up incredibly fast. He was emotional and compulsive, but he wasn’t raised in the temple – he was raised in chains. Obi-Wan seemed to be the only one who acknowledged that fact whenever the boy acted out. Besides,  _ it had only been three months.  _

Worry for his Padawan overtook his every thought as he changed into dry clothes. He gingerly lifted his shirt over his head, trying not to aggravate his broken ribs. In the mirror, he saw the large boot-shaped bruise on his chest and grimaced. Wet hair clung to his forehead, but he didn’t have the energy to dry it. He took shallow breaths as he pulled on a warm tunic. He staggered over to the couch and lay down. His head ached, and he saw stars every time he moved too quickly. He wanted to return to his Padawan, but he was so  _ tired.  _

Just as his eyes fluttered closed his comm pinged. He sat up quickly and instantly regretted the motion as the room tilted and nausea roiled in his stomach. He steadied himself for a moment before answering.

“Kenobi.”

“Knight Kenobi, please report to the Council Chambers,” the stern voice of Mace Windu said over the comm. 

“Of course, Master,” Obi-Wan said evenly before hanging up. He groaned to himself. Mace didn’t sound happy. Of course, he never really sounded happy, but Obi-Wan could tell he wasn’t pleased with whatever Vokara Che had told him. 

He threw on a robe and made his way to the council chambers. As he entered, he was surprised to see most of the council present. 

“Enter you may, young Obi-Wan,” Yoda said by way of greeting. 

Obi-Wan nodded and pushed his pain and nervousness off into the Force.

“Obi-Wan, can you tell us about what happened in the early hours of this morning?” Plo Koon prodded gently.

Obi-Wan relayed what happened. After he told his story, the council stared at him wordlessly. Obi-Wan shifted uncomfortably.

“When did you notice your Padawan was missing?” Mace questioned.

“The thunder from the storm woke me. I reached out for him through our bond and I could immediately tell he wasn’t in our apartment anymore.”

“So, he had been missing for some time then?”

“Well, uh, I don’t know. I wasn’t able to ask him. He was unconscious when I found him.”

“Has he woken up yet?”

“I don’t know, I uh, I don’t think so.”

“You don’t know?”

“Well I left the halls to change and then I was summoned here, I haven’t had time to go check on him yet.”

“Why did your Padawan want to sneak out of the temple in the first place?”

Obi-Wan felt like a small animal who just walked into a hunting trap. “I don’t know, Masters. He’s a curious child and I know transitioning to the temple hasn’t been easy for him. But I haven’t gotten a chance to ask him.” The pounding in his head only seemed to increase. 

Mace frowned. 

“Had you ever seen the Trandoshans before?”

“No, never. I had never even heard the rumors about the missing Padawans until Vokara told me.”

“And you killed them?”

“All but one of them.”

“And where is the one now?”

Dread and nausea mixed in the pit of his stomach. “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

“I don’t know,” Obi-Wan repeated more firmly. “He ran off.”

“Mmmm,” Mace hummed.

Obi-Wan watched as the council members gave each other knowing looks and glances. They asked him a few more questions before they fell silent, deliberating and debating each other through their own bonds and Force connections. 

Obi-Wan’s anxiety grew and he tried shaking it off into the Force. As he stood there, he was starting to feel the effects of his fight with the Trandoshans more acutely. He breathed shallowly and concentrated on keeping his vision in focus. 

Finally, Mace spoke up.

“Maybe young Anakin should be placed with another Jedi. One who is already a Master. One who won’t leave their Padawan alone and neglected in the lower levels of Coruscant in the middle of the night,” Mace said icily. 

Obi-Wan felt like he had been struck.

“ _ Neglected?  _ No! I would never…”

“Please, council members, I’ve known Obi-Wan Kenobi since he was a baby. I’ve watched him grow up. He’s a rule-follower, devoted to the order and most importantly, he’s a compassionate young Jedi. He would never, ever willfully neglect a child, especially one who is his own Padawan,” Plo Koon interrupted. 

“Correct, Master Plo is,” Yoda affirmed. “But much worse, this situation could have been. Young and inexperienced, Obi-Wan is. Grieving his Master, Obi-Wan is. Ready to have a Padawan of his own, he might not be. Discuss this matter more in private at a later time, the council will.”

Obi-Wan felt like all the air had been sucked from his lungs. “Please, Masters, you know I would never let harm come to Anakin. You can’t separate us, he’s just starting to get used to life here. This will only set him back.”

“We will consider your points, Knight Kenobi,” Mace said.

“Please, Masters, he’s  _ my  _ Padawan,” desperation filled his voice. 

“That’s enough, Knight Kenobi. You are dismissed.”

He knew that if he said anything more he would only manage to weaken his case. 

“Thank you, Masters,” he managed to say before turning on his heels and exiting the council chambers. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if some of the council members are OOC, I just like to create ~drama~


	4. Sworn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw: mild description of an anxiety attack

The same thoughts looped over and over again in Obi-Wan’s head.  _ What just happened? How could they think I neglected him?  _ Have _ I neglected him? I can’t lose him.  _

He walked dazedly down the long and winding corridors of the temple, his vision tunneling. He staggered to the side and put his weight against the wall. 

“Knight Kenobi?” a gentle voice called to him. 

Obi-Wan looked up and tried to focus on the blurred figure getting closer and closer to him.

“Master Plo?”

“Obi-Wan are you alright?” 

“Uh-huh,” Obi-Wan managed to get out, but Plo Koon was not convinced. 

Obi-Wan sank to the floor and Plo Koon knelt by his side.

“Obi-Wan, look at me.”

Obi-Wan obediently turned his face towards the Kel Dorian and once again tried to focus his vision, but his head hurt and he was feeling rather nauseous. 

Plo Koon didn’t know that much about human biology, but he knew that their pupils were generally supposed to be of equal size. 

“We need to get you to a healer. I think you’re concussed, my friend.”

“I need to see Anakin,” Obi-Wan said, his voice slightly slurred. 

“Well, you’re in luck. He’s already at the healer’s, where we will now be going.” 

“Oh.”

“Come on, Kenobi,” Plo Koon said as he slung Obi-Wan’s arm over his shoulder. 

* * *

Plo Koon led Obi-Wan into the halls of healing. The younger Jedi squinted his eyes at the bright fluorescent light. 

“What happened?” Vokara Che exclaimed as she saw the pair enter the halls.

“I think Obi-Wan was injured when he fought off the Trandoshans. I think he’s concussed,” Plo Koon said as he deposited the younger Jedi on a nearby bed. “It doesn’t sound like he’s breathing right either.”

“Thank you Master Plo. I’ll take it from here.”

Plo Koon nodded and left the halls.

“Obi-Wan, why didn’t you tell me you were hurt?” Vokara Che said, turning to her new patient. 

_“How could you?”_ Obi-Wan whispered, ignoring her question entirely. Tears stung his eyes as pain and betrayal laced his expression.

“I don’t follow,” she said with confusion. 

“The council. They… they want to take Anakin from me. They don’t think I’m ready for a Padawan…  _ they think I’m neglecting him. _ Maybe I’m not the best Master in the order but I would  _ never _ neglect him! How could you tell them I was neglecting him?”

Vokara Che’s mouth opened in shock.

“I  _ swore _ to protect him! I swore at the Padawan ceremony. I swore to Qui-Gon…” he said, his voice breaking. He was breathing rapidly in shallow pants.

"Obi-Wan, I need you to steady your breathing alright?" she said, concern lacing her tone. 

Something shifted in his gaze. He focused on controlling his breath, but it was difficult with the stabbing pain lancing through his chest. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I didn't mean..." he managed between gasps.

“It's alright Obi-Wan. And for the record, I think you are the best thing for that boy right now. I know this. I know you would never do anything to hurt him. I would never tell the council anything that would indicate otherwise. I only told them that Anakin snuck out and the Trandoshans attempted to kidnap him.” 

“Really?”

“Would I lie to you, Obi-Wan?”

“...No.”

“Now please, Obi-Wan, I need you to calm down and let me look at you.”

He nodded his consent but grimaced at the motion. Vokara helped him out of his robes and tunic, leaving him in his trousers and boots. 

“Well you have a couple of broken ribs and a mild concussion,” she said after examining him. “Unless there’s anything else you’re hiding from me.”

“No, Master.”

“Good. Your head should feel better in a couple days but your ribs will take a little longer. Just take it easy alright?”

“Where’s Anakin?” 

“He’s in the other room.”

“Is he okay?”

“He’s fine Obi-Wan. I was right. The drug they used on him was only a sedative. He should wake up in a few hours. He might be a little out of it for a while but he’ll be back to his normal hyperactive self in no time.” 

Obi-Wan visibly relaxed. “Can I see him?”

Vokara looked at him suspiciously. “Fine, but just for a little bit. You need to get some rest.”

She helped guide him to Anakin’s room and he sat heavily by his Padawan’s side. 

“I’ll let you have a moment with him alone, but I’ll be back shortly.”

“Thank you, Master Che.”

“You’re welcome, Knight Kenobi.” 

Once Vokara Che was gone, Obi-Wan turned all his attention to Anakin. The boy was a little pale and too still for Obi-Wan’s liking, but he looked otherwise unharmed.

“Anakin, I’m so sorry.” 

Obi-Wan held Anakin’s small hand in his. 

“I don’t know how I let this happen. I’m so sorry.” 

Anakin didn’t even stir.

“I won’t let them take you from me,” Obi-Wan said with determination. 

He sat there in silence, trying to send waves of reassurance through their bond.

“Come on, Obi-Wan,” Vokara Che said, entering the room. “You need to get some rest.”

“I need to talk to the council.”

“Later.”

“Vokara, please.”

“No, Kenobi,” she said sternly. “You’re not in good shape. You’ll need your wits about you when you talk to the council. Trust me, you’ll thank me for this later.” 

Obi-Wan didn’t have much energy left to fight her on the matter and the logical part of him that was still hanging around somewhere knew she was right. “Alright,” he said with a touch of petulance in his voice.

Vokara smirked at him as she helped guide him to his own bed. As he lay down and drifted off, his thoughts remained on the child asleep in the room next to his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot to mention that I got the idea for the Trandoshans from that episode of the Clone Wars where Ahsoka actually does get taken by them. Anyway, thanks for reading y'all! I'll post the last chapter very soon, I promise!


	5. Qui-Gon Jinn's Padawan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prepare yourselves, this is going to be quite cheesy XD

Anakin felt like he had been underwater for a long time. 

As his eyes fluttered open confusion started to replace the feeling of floating. He looked around, noticed he was alone in an unfamiliar location, and started to panic. 

Sensing the boy’s anxiety, Vokara Che rushed into the room. 

“Easy there, Anakin,” she said as she gently pushed him back down on the bed. “Everything’s fine, you’re safe.” 

Anakin recognized Master Che and he calmed down a little bit. “Where am I?”

“You’re in the halls of healing.”

“What happened?”

“You were drugged by some bad people, but don’t worry, you’re going to be just fine.” 

Anakin nodded and then looked around.

“Where’s Obi-Wan?” he said, trying to hide his disappointment from the Twi-leki healer.

“Your Master is in the room next door.”

“What? Is he okay? What happened to him? Was he drugged too?” 

“Breathe, Anakin. Obi-Wan is fine, or he will be in time. He wasn’t drugged, but he was injured.”

“What happened?”

“He was protecting you from some very bad people who wanted to steal you.”

“Can I see him?”

“Yes, you can go see him, but be very quiet. He needs his rest right now, okay?”

As Anakin entered Obi-Wan’s room, immense guilt settled uncomfortably in the pit of his stomach.

“I’ll leave you alone with him. If he wakes up, can you let me know?” Vokara Che said pleasantly.

“Yes, Master Che.”

She smiled and left him alone with his Master.

“This is my fault,” Anakin whispered as he took in the sight of his unconscious Master. 

He very carefully climbed into the bed and buried his head in Obi-Wan’s shoulder. 

After a little while, Obi-Wan stirred slightly. Anakin’s head shot up. “Master?”

“Ani?” Obi-Wan said groggily before his memories caught up with him. “Anakin! Are you alright? How long have you been up?”   
  


“Not long, but I wasn’t supposed to wake you up, I was supposed to let you sleep.”

“It’s alright. I’d rather be awake with you anyway.”

Anakin looked at the pallor of Obi-Wan’s face and the dark smudges under his eyes. “You look tired.”

“I’m alright, Anakin. Don’t worry about me.”

Anakin’s concerned expression didn’t go away. 

“Master,” Anakin said hesitantly. 

“Yes, Anakin.”

“I’m sorry I snuck out.”

“It’s alright. Next time, if you want to go somewhere, ask me first please, alright?” Obi-Wan said calmly. “The Jedi temple is your home. It is not meant to be a prison. Being here is a choice, you can leave at any time. You are free.”

“Free,” Anakin repeated the word, as if he wanted to taste it on his tongue.

“Yes, Anakin, you are free. Though I do hope you will  _ choose  _ to stay here and learn to be a Jedi.” 

Anakin once again buried his face in Obi-Wan’s shoulder. Hot tears escaped his eyes and soaked into Obi-Wan’s wool tunic.

“Anakin, what’s wrong?” Obi-Wan said urgently. “Do you feel sick? Are you hurt?”

“No Master,” Anakin sniffled. “But you are… and it’s my fault.” 

Obi-Wan’s eyes softened. “It’s alright, Padawan. It’s my job to protect you. I sometimes might get hurt in the process, but I’ll always do everything in my power to keep you safe.” 

“You could have died!”

“Anakin, you offend me,” Obi-Wan said with a grin on his face. “Do you really think your Master could have been taken out so easily by four pathetic Trandoshans?”

“No…” Anakin said in a small voice. “But it seems like they got you pretty good though.”

“They got lucky.” 

Anakin laughed, “I thought you didn’t believe in luck, Master?”

“ _ I _ don’t, but  _ they _ probably do, so yes, just this once, they got lucky,” Obi-Wan smirked. 

“Whatever you say, Master,” Anakin said coolly. His eyes suddenly widened. “Wait! I was supposed to go get Master Che if you woke up!”

“Wait, Anakin…” Obi-Wan called out, but Anakin had already scrambled out of the bed and was running down the hall.  _ The one time he follows instructions...  _ Obi-Wan thought to himself, rolling his eyes. 

“So, Kenobi, young Skywalker tells me you’re awake,” Vokara said as she entered the room, Anakin on her heels. 

“So it would seem.” 

Vokara checked his vitals. “How are you feeling, Obi-Wan?” She didn’t miss his eyes dart to the anxious, young Padawan sitting unusually quiet off to the side. 

“I’m fine, Master Che,” Obi-Wan said.

Using the Force, Vokara raised the brightness of the lights in the room. Obi-Wan paled and squeezed his eyes shut. “Uh-huh,” she said indignantly. 

“Not fair,” he groaned.

“Anakin, can you give your Master and I a moment, please? I’ll come get you in a few minutes, I promise.”

Anakin nodded reluctantly but walked out of the room. 

“Now, Kenobi, be honest with me. How are you feeling?”

“Better, but not great,” he said plainly. 

“That’s to be expected. You’re going to have to take it easy for a little while.”

“Easier said,”

“Well, it's going to have to be done if you want to get back to normal in a reasonable time frame.”

“I know, Master Che.”

“The Council reached out to me,” she said slowly.

Obi-Wan paled again, “What did they say?”

“They said they wanted to speak with you as soon as you were feeling up to it.”

Obi-Wan nodded and swung his legs over the bed.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m going to speak to the council.”

“Not yet you aren’t.”

“Yes, I am.”

“Obi-Wan…”

“Master Che,” he said, cutting her off. “I’m going to go fight for my Padawan. I promise that as soon as I’m done doing that you can keep me here as long as you want, but right now, I need to do this. Please, let me do this.”

Her eyes softened. “As long as I want huh?”

“I’m going to regret saying that aren’t I?”

“You can bet on it, Kenobi.”

Obi-Wan smirked at her as he turned to go see his Padawan.

“Anakin, I want you to stay here with Master Che. I’ll be right back, I promise.”

“Where are you going?” Anakin said, concern flooding his eyes.

“I just need to have a quick talk with the council. It’s no big deal, I’ll be back before you know it.”

“I don’t like the council.” 

Obi-Wan stifled a laugh. “I know, but I need to go do this, alright?” 

“Okay,” Anakin agreed quietly.

“Get some rest, Padawan. And  _ stay here.” _

“I will, Master,” a guilty smile creeping onto his face. 

“Good. I’ll be right back.”

* * *

Obi-Wan’s palms sweat as he slowly made his way to the council chamber.

_ What am I even going to say to them? _

Obi-Wan pushed all of his fear and anger out into the Force before swinging open the door to the council chambers.

“Good evening, Council Members.”

“Good evening, Knight Kenobi,” Mace said.

“Feeling better, I hope you are, young Obi-Wan,” Master Yoda said. 

“I am, thank you.” 

“I suppose we should get started,” Plo Koon said. “Obi-Wan, would you…”

“Masters, I apologize for the interruption, but please, before we get started, can I say something?”

“Proceed, you may,” Master Yoda said.

“I know I am young. I know I am inexperienced. I know that only three months ago, I was a Padawan myself, but I come from a lineage that leads back to you, Master Yoda. You taught Master Dooku everything you could, and he taught Qui-Gon everything he could, and though his life was cut short, Qui-Gon taught me everything he could. He taught me how to give forgiveness to those who have wronged me. He taught me how to exchange my anger and fear for peace and courage through the will of the Force. He taught me how to wield a lightsaber so that I may defend my life and the lives of those I am to protect. He taught me to see the beauty in the Living Force even though I am stronger in the Unifying and Cosmic Force. I am Qui-Gon Jinn’s Padawan, and I intend to teach my Padawan everything he taught me. What happened last night was a mistake and I am sorry that I let anything happen to Anakin, but I hope to reconcile it with years of training in service to the Force.”

The council stared at him and for a long, agonizing moment, Obi-Wan feared he had said the wrong thing.

“Mistakes, you have made. Many more you will make,” Yoda said.

Obi-Wan’s heart leapt in hope.

“What I was going to say before you interrupted me, young Kenobi,” Plo Koon started. Obi-Wan flushed. “The council wishes to apologize for our quick judgement of you. We let our fear for the lost Padawans momentarily cloud our judgment. Few Jedi would be able to handle The Chosen One as well as you. You are an excellent Master to Anakin and we wish for you to remain that way.”

For once, Obi-Wan didn’t know what to say. He stared, wide-eyed at the council.

“I especially would like to apologize, Knight Kenobi,” Mace said. “My judgment of you was too quick, too harsh, and rather unfair. I know I put a lot of stress on you while you should have been focused on your Padawan and on healing yourself. I hope you can forgive me for that.”

“It is alright, Masters. As long as I can remain Anakin’s Master, all is forgiven,” he smiled brightly, momentarily forgetting about the pain in his head and the heaviness in his chest. 

“Return to the healers, you should,” Yoda said. “Dismissed, you are.”

“Thank you, Masters,” Obi-Wan said as he once again turned on his heels and left to go see his Padawan. 

* * *

“So, how did it go?” Vokara Che asked as Obi-Wan entered the halls of healing again. 

“Well. They’re letting me keep Anakin,” he replied, unable to hide the grin on his face.

“I knew it would work itself out. He’s your Padawan.”

“And where is he now?”

“Master!” An excited yell from Anakin running down the halls answered his question.

Anakin barreled into Obi-Wan, knocking him back a few paces. 

Obi-Wan took in a sharp gasp of breath as the movement jostled his ribs. His vision swam and the world seemed to be tilting slightly.

“Anakin!” Master Che admonished.

“I’m sorry Master!” Anakin said quickly. “I didn’t mean…”

“It’s alright Ani,” Obi-Wan said, though his voice was pained. “I’m glad to see you’re back to your normal self.”

Anakin looked up at Obi-Wan with wide eyes. “Can we go home, Master?”

Before Obi-Wan could even say anything, Vokara Che jumped in. “ _ You  _ can go home, young Skywalker. Your  _ Master  _ needs to stay here for a little while longer.”

Obi-Wan shot her a glare.

“Oh, well I’ll stay here with Obi-Wan then,” Anakin said. 

“Okay, but you need to be quiet, your Master needs his rest.”

Anakin nodded excitedly. 

As Obi-Wan settled into the hospital bed Vokara Che made him return to, his eyes didn’t leave Anakin. Obi-Wan always resented the amount of time that was wasted in the halls of healing, time he could spend teaching his new Padawan the ways of the Force or doing literally anything else. But as he looked over at Anakin, fidgeting restlessly in the seat next to his bed, he felt secure in that Anakin was  _ his  _ Padawan. He had plenty of time. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading!


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